Managerial Economics & Business Strategy 8th Edition by Michael Baye,Jeff Prince

Exercise 7

Barnacle Industries was awarded a patent over 15 years ago for a unique industrial-strength cleaner that removes barnacles and other particles from the hulls of ships. Thanks to its monopoly position, Barnacle has earned more than $160 million over the past decade. Its customers-spanning the gamut from cruise lines to freighters-use the product because it reduces their fuel bills. The annual (inverse) demand function for Barnacle's product is given by P = 400 -.0005 Q, and Barnacle's cost function is given by C ( Q ) = 250 Q. Thanks to subsidies stemming from an energy bill passed by Congress nearly two decades ago, Barnacle does not have any fixed costs: The federal government essentially pays for the plant and capital equipment required to make this energy-saving product. Absent this subsidy, Barnacle's fixed costs would be about $4 million annually. Knowing that the company's patent will soon expire, Marge, Barnacle's manager, is concerned that entrants will qualify for the subsidy, enter the market, and produce a perfect substitute at an identical cost. With interest rates at 7 percent, Marge is considering a limit-pricing strategy. If you were Marge, what strategy would you pursue? Explain.